Film holder



Patented Sept. 26, 1950 FILM HOLDER William B. Johnson, New York, N. Y.,assignor to Rudman & Scofield, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application September 3, 1947, Serial No. 771,922

Claims. l My invention relates to nlm-developing apparatus and inparticular to a hlm holder for tank development of cut nlm or the like.

It is an object of my invention to provide an end-first (emulsion sidein) into the mouth of one of chambers 5 1.

Ordinarily, when loading, the frictional grip of the film 8 on the wallsof the chamber 6 into improved device of the character indicated. 5which it is loaded will be sufficient to retain the It is another objectto provide an improved iilm 8 in place. However, during the developingfilm holder providing for ease of insertion of cut process, that is,when submerged and agitated film and for adequate protection againstloss or in a developing tank, I prefer to close off parts dislodgment ofthe nlm when the holder is subof the mouths of chambers 5 1 withremovable merged and agitated in a developing tank. 10 covering means.In the form shown in Fig. l, It is a general object of thf invention tomeet this covering means includes, for the chambers the above objectswith a device that is simple 5, a covering member or plate 9 hingedlysupand cheap to manufacture and which may be ported at the bottom of theholder on a longicompletely reliable in operation. tudinally extendingaxis. The plate 9 may in- Other objects and various further features ofclude flanged ends lli-l I, each of which muy the invention will bepointed out or will occcur be attached to the film holder by rivets orother to those skilled in the art from a reading of the hinge-pintlemeans l2. following specincation with reference to the ac- It Will beClear that in the down position the companying drawings. In saiddrawings: plate 9 may leave the mouths of chambers t com- Fig. l is aperspective View illustrating a pletely open for ready insertion of cutnlm 8, as holder incorporating features or" the invention; in the mannerdescribed. When all the cham- Fig. 2 is a sectional view takensubstantially bers 6 of one side have been loaded, the cover in theplane 2 2 of Fig. 1; and plate 9 may be swung into covering positionand, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form if desired, hOldngmeans in the fOm Of Snap of the invention. detents IS-M may hold suchclosed position. Briefly stated, my invention contemplates an The sameprocedure may be employed for loadimproved nlm holder for out nlm or thelike, ine, and for Securnsin loading position, cut lm wherein the holderincorporates a plurality of l5 SHDDOIG in Chambers 'F 0f the Othr Side0f pleats defining film-retaining chambers having the lm 1101der` Irlthe latter CaSe a COVE-Fing longitudinally extending open mouths. Theopen membl OI plate l5 may be hinged as at Il and mouths permit bent orgently folded cut nlm to resiliently held in closed position, as bySnapbe inserted enduirst (emulsion side in) into the aCtOIl means I8.mouths, so that the walls of the chambers may In Order that the -m hOdelWhich has been graspingly support the pieces of the nlm. To describedmay be more readily adaptable to use prevent loss of film when theholder is submerged in a developing tank, the ends of the film-rem andagitated in the tank, the holder incorporates tainins1r member 5 may beSecured t0 or provided removable covering means to close cuilongitudiwith end plates Iii-2S having outwardly extendnally extendingparts of the mouths of the chaming ange or bracket portions 2 I ZZ forproper bers. In one of the forms to be described, the support in adeveloping tank. It will be underholder is formed as a single unit, andthe coverstood that the flanges 2| 22 may be employed ing means includesa hinged plate which may be for suspending the holder 5 in the tank orfor swung into a latched position effectively to close agtatOn Of thehOldeI' in the tank. off the chamber mouths. In the other form, the Itwill be appreciated' that for the form delm-retaining member is firstloaded and then scribed, thel loading of film into chambers 6 1 insertedinto a framework which serves to close is a relatively simple procedure.The covering olf parts of the chamber mouths. members 9 I6 arepreferably down or open Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, mywhile the folded cut nlm is inserted into the invention is shown inapplication to a film holder mouths of the chambers 5 1. Should ithappenincorporating a film-retaining member 5 of that the bend in anyparticular piece of film pleated or zig-zag folded construction. Theconprojects outside the mouth of one of the chamstructionis such as todefine betweenadjacent bersE-l, this fact need be of no consequencefolds a plurality of nlm-retaining chambers 6 1. since the swinging of acover plate, such as the The mouths of chambers B 'l are preferablyplate 9, into closed position will automatically open for their fulllongitudinal width so that a result in engaging the projecting end ofthe piece piece of cut film 8 may be folded and inserted 55 of film andin thereafter pushing the lm into its proper place, fully enclosedwithin its retaining chamber. In such event, a piece of film, as at 23(Fig. 2), although in contact with the cover plate 9 and with the wallsof its chamber 6, may have complete access to developer over its entireemulsion surface for proper development, as will be clear.

Although the described structure may in many cases prove adequate, Iprefer in the form shown to provide additional rigidity, particularlywith regard to spacing and supporting the end plates lil-26 near thepoints at which the side plates S-IB are hingedly supported. In the formshown, this added rigidity is aorded by a pair of longitudinallyextending strips 24-24 provided with lugs at each end, for attachment tothe frame of the film holder as by means of rivets l2-l'i.

In Fig. 3 I show a modied form of the invention which includes afilm-retaining member 25 generally similar to the retaining member 5 ofFigs. l and 2, but the nlm-retainer member 25 is bodily removable from asupporting cradle or box 28. The member 25 may thus comprise Zigzagfolds or pleats so as to dene a number of film-retaining chambers 26 onone side and a number of chambers 2'! on the other side. The chambers 26to 2l' are preferably open for substantially the full longitudinalextent oi their mouths for the ready reception of folded cut nlm,

and these open mouths may be in effect closed by removable coveringmeans.

In the form shown, the covering means comprises a cradle or box frame 28into which the pleated holder 25 may be inserted, as from above theframe 28. rI`he frame 28 may be merely a relatively open-sided boxhaving sides, such as the side 29, to cover parts of the mouths ofchambers 25 suiiiciently to retain the lm in place. The longitudinalends of the frame 28 may again comprise end plates E30-3l havingoutwardly directed supporting flanges S22-33. In the form shown, theside plates (such as the side 29) are formed as straps bent around theplates 30-3I and secured thereto as by spot welds 34. Preferably,retaining means are included at the bottom of the frame 28 to providesuitable flooring for the retaining member 25. Such ilooring may beeffected by strip members, such as the strip 35. The strip 35 may bebent up at the ends to provide lugs, such as the lugs 36, which may bespot welded or otherwise secured to the rest of the assembly.

In use of the film holder' of Fig. 3, lm is loaded into member' 25,while the latter is removed from the cradle or box 2S. The loadedretaining member 35 is then inserted into box 28 so as to rest on bottomstrips 35. After development, member 25 be withdrawn and the wet nlmeasily removed through the thenopen mouths of chambers 21S-2l.

It will be appreciated that I have described relatively simple nlmholders which are particularly adapted to the quick and efcient handlingof cut lm. Both the forms described may very adequately secure the nlmin place during the developing process, and after development thecovering means may open the mouths of all retaining chambers so as tomake for very simple unloading of wet lm. In both forms of theinvention, it will also be appreciated that the bottom of the nlm holdercan be very substantially open so as to permit the fullest possibleflooding of emulsion surfaces by fresh and active developing agents.

While I have described my invention in detail for the preferred formsshown, it will be understood that modiiications may be made within thescope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a film holder, a pair of opposed end plates at the ends of saidholder, nlm-retaining means of zig-zag construction between said plates,the iclds of said plates dening film-retaining chambers, said chambersbeing open for substantially the longitudinal extent of the mouthsthereof, longitudinal base means beneath said nlm-retaining means andjoining the end plates of said film-retaining means, and cover-platemeans hinged to said end plates for effectively closing olif the mouthsof said chambers.

2. In a ilm holder, a pair of end plates at the ends of said holder,said plates having upper outwardly iiaring brackets for supporting saidholder in a developing tank, zig-zag film-retaining means between saidplates and said retaining means defining a plurality of nlm-retainingchambers open at longitudinally extending mouths, each of said mouthsbeing open for substantially the longitudinal extent thereof, removablecovering means supported by said end plates and removably covering partsof the mouths oi said chambers, whereby pieces of film may be folded andinserted into the mouths of said chambers and then held in position insaid chambers by said covering means, and means ex tending between saidend plates and closing oli? a relatively small part of the verticallyopen bottom ends of said chambers, whereby said lastdeiined means maynot only serve to retain nlm against dropping out the bottom ends orsaid chambers but may also provide such open bottoms for said chambersas not to interfere with free vertical circulation of iluid in saidchambers.

3. In a lm holder, a nlm-retaining member of pleated constructiondefining a plurality of ln.- retaining chambers open ior substantiallylongitudinal extent of the Widest p. tions thereof, removable coveringmeans spanning the ends of said member and including a member .hingegllyfixed to one of said ends and extendiig for re1novable attachment to theother o s covering means covering longitudinal portions of the mouths ofa plurality of said chambers.

4. In a film holder, a film-retaining member of pleated constructiondefining a plurality of lmretaining chambers open for substantially thelongitudinal extent of the widest portions thereof and removablecovering means spanning the ends of said member and coveringlongitudinally extending portions of the mouths of a plurality of saidchambers, said covering means including a member hingedly supported onan axis through both said ends, and said member being resilientlysecured to one of said ends when in position to close orf longitudinallyextending parts of the mouths of some of said chambers.

5. In a film holder, a nlm-retaining member of pleated constructiondeiining a plurality of diver'- gent-mouthed longitudinally extendinglm-re taining chambers open for substantially the longitudinal extent ofthe widest portions thereof and open at the longitudinal ends thereof,removable covering means spanning the horizontal ends of said member andcovering longitudinally extending portions of the mouths of a pluralityof between said horizontal ends and closing off a relatively small partof the lower longitudinal ends of said chambers, whereby said retainingmeans may not only serve to retain lm against dropping out the lowerlongitudinal ends of said chambers but may also provide such open endsfor said chambers as not to interfere with the free circulation of fluidin said chambers.

WILLIAM B. JOHNSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number Number Austria Mar. 25, 1921

